#StayGreater weekly top 5: How the Southern Utah community is coming together during pandemic

A view of St. George taken from the Sugarloaf or Dixie Rock, St. George, Utah, March 26 2020 | File photo by Hollie Reina, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — While the airwaves and screens have been inundated with some dire headlines in recent weeks, St. George News has made it a point to highlight how the Southern Utah community is coming together — at a safe distance — to help each other through the uncharted territory of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the spirit of the #StayGreater campaign, launched by the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office in a call for Southern Utahns to support local businesses, artisans and their neighbors, here are the top 5 stories published in the last week spotlighting the commendable efforts of the community.

ST. GEORGE — Most people in Southern Utah are doing all the social distancing they can to avoid being near someone with the coronavirus. But there is a group of people in the area who starts their day going right into harm’s way and deliberately interacting with those who have, or potentially have, the virus.

ST. GEORGE — Fifty years ago, when Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy first set a jar on the counter of his restaurant to help his team member Eddie White achieve his dream of attending college, it would have been impossible to imagine how many lives he would change.

Teachers from Tonaquint Intermediate School participating in the Bucket List Challenge, St. George, Utah, circa March 2020 | Photo courtesy of Katie Jones, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — As a way to offer connection, educators at Tonaquint Intermediate School in St. George launched the Quarantine Bucket List Challenge this past week – a project that creators are hoping will bridge distance during this time of dismissals.

Kneaders Bakery & Cafe on Bluff Street announces drive-thru, curbside and delivery services on their sign, St. George, Utah, April 7, 2020 | Photo by Hollie Reina, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — Thanks to a generous family donor, and in partnership with the Nets on Fire charity, Kneaders Bakery & Café is participating in a unique opportunity to benefit community members during the ongoing difficulties related to the coronavirus.

The Canyon Media Center, St. George, Utah, 2019 | Photo by Canyon Media, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — When the owners of Canyon Media decided to ring in 2020 with a new mission statement, “here for you,” it was meant to define what the entire team has always known in their hearts to be true. However, it was while working through the coronavirus crisis that they truly saw their role as a resource for Southern Utah.